City Academies

The Charity has committed £1 million to the London Diocesan Board for Schools' (LDBS) scheme to sponsor four Cof E Academies in London. Two of them are within the area of benefit covered by the Charity - the boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Barnet.

In Chelsea the LDBS is co-sponsoring with the Royal Borough a brand-new Academy specialising in the Sciences. The Academy will be built on a site close to the former Lots Road power station and is due to open in September 2009. In Barnet, the LDBS is planning to open a new Academy in 2008 using the premises of a former school. This Academy will specialise in Design & the Built Environment.

The LDBS is required to find £3.5million sponsorship for these two academies and the Charity's support will go a long way to reaching that target.

Dr Richard Chartres, Bishop of London and President of the LDBS said: "John Lyon's Charity is a significant force for good in a number of London Boroughs and I am thrilled and grateful that the Charity has agreed to make this generous donation to our Academy programme which is so important to our mission as a Church to serve London."

Speaking for John Lyon's Charity, Nick Stuart, Chairman of the Grants Committee, said: "We are pleased to announce this major grant which will help establish new academies in our area of benefit. New Cof E schools will have a minimum of half of children from other faith backgrounds. Improving life-chances for all young people is at the heart of what we do and we believe that the academies which the LDBS is sponsoring or co-sponsoring will bring fresh educational opportunities to a wide range of young people of all abilities and backgrounds."